Officer or Warrant Officer

June 7th, 2008, 01:35 PM

Searching for answers on joining the TX National Guard. I am 42 yrs old, with prior service in the Marine Corps, and in the MN & ND National Guard. I completed OCS in 1995, but did not have enough college credits for a commission. I was unable to devote sufficient time to the guard due to my civilian career. I moved to TX and changed careers and want to join the guard again to complete my military career. If a commission is not possible due to age restrictions, can I join as a warrant officer?

Comment

[QUOTE=brianviper1]Searching for answers on joining the TX National Guard. I am 42 yrs old, with prior service in the Marine Corps, and in the MN & ND National Guard. I completed OCS in 1995, but did not have enough college credits for a commission. I was unable to devote sufficient time to the guard due to my civilian career. I moved to TX and changed careers and want to join the guard again to complete my military career. If a commission is not possible due to age restrictions, can I join as a warrant officer?[/QUOTE]

If you are otherwise qualified for appointment as a WO, then the history you have described shouldn't be a problem.

Comment

Thank you for your replies, I had a short conversation over the phone with a recruiter, and he had said I would not be able to go in as an officer and since I have been out more than 12 months I would not be able to go in under the 09W program. Do you recall those regulations? I meet with him later this week to discuss options. He had mentioned the try one program and to try for WOCS, being older and wiser, I feel reluctant about that. Respectfully, Brian

[QUOTE=matthew.ritchie]Ask your recruiter to put you in touch with the Warrant Officer Strength Manager for your State. This is the person whose job it is to create WOs, so s/he will know the angles.[/QUOTE]

+1

Dont go to a recruiter for officer questions. You will get 5 different answers from 5 different recruiters. Go to the OSM, he/she will have the answers.

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Again, thank you for the feed back. I just met with a recruiter and we contacted the WOSM and was told OCS was good and that I would have to come in enlisted and get proficient in a MOS (about 2 yrs) and then submit a packet, and if selected could go straight to the basic course. He had also pulled up some info, and it showed that I was in the guard until 2000 and was listed as a 2LT. If this is true, could I come back in as a 2LT and go to Officer basic course? Respectfully, Brian

Comment

[QUOTE=brianviper1]Again, thank you for the feed back. I just met with a recruiter and we contacted the WOSM and was told OCS was good and that I would have to come in enlisted and get proficient in a MOS (about 2 yrs) and then submit a packet, and if selected could go straight to the basic course. He had also pulled up some info, and it showed that I was in the guard until 2000 and was listed as a 2LT. If this is true, could I come back in as a 2LT and go to Officer basic course? Respectfully, Brian[/QUOTE]

Were you commissioned in 2000? If not, then obviously you can't pursue that plan. If you were commissioned, then that's actually worse for you -- newly commissioned officers must complete their initial training (BOLC-II/III) within 42 months of commissioning, or they lose their commission. Based on your previous post, I understood that you completed OCS but did not commission. If that is indeed the case, then you have not run afoul of this law.